Today’s graduates are keen to make their mark on the world of work at the earliest opportunity, which is why many take up internships and even longer sandwich placements at undergraduate level.
Now one Scottish university is helping students put their degree theory into practice 11 months earlier than their peers – thanks to the introduction of a 3-year ‘fast-track’ degree.
Abertay University in Dundee is one of the first universities in Scotland to try out the system, which sees a full honours degree completed over three years and would see the current intake of students graduating in 2017.
The new degree structure, which will involve the same degree content taught over more weeks in the year, is being trialled on seven of the university’s degree courses. These are:
• Business Studies
• Computer Arts
• Computer Games Application Development
• Ethical Hacking
• Food and Consumer Sciences
• Game Design and Production Management
• Sports Development
Students on the above courses will study at a regular pace for the first two years of their degree before being given the option to go ‘fast-track’.
Designed with “careers in mind”
Market research carried out by the university indicates that students are behind the idea, citing that they are keen to be saddled with less student debt and enter the employment market at an earlier date.
Commenting on the new degree structure, Professor Nigel Seaton, Principal of Abertay University, outlined that the courses were designed “with careers in mind”.
He said: “The accelerated degree has exactly the same learning outcomes, quality standards and academic standing as the traditional four-year programmes.
“By delivering it at a faster pace, we can offer our students more choice, creating alternative degree pathways which we believe will suit the needs of some of our students.
“Our new accelerated degree programmes are an exciting and radical, but also an essentially logical and natural step.”
Are you a soon-to-be undergraduate? Do you think a fast-track degree could boost your employment prospects?
